At least 26 people were injured, in addition to extensive damage to public and private infrastructure due to the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that shook Panama on Friday noon. As of Saturday, October 10, the Social Security Fund (CSS) of Panama has not reported any fatalities.The epicenter of the earthquake was located 39 kilometers northwest of the town of Tonosí, in the province of Los Santos, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The quake’s peak magnitude was felt in nearby provinces and forced the evacuation of buildings in various parts of the country. The ground shook again at 11:12 p.m. local time on Friday, after an aftershock of magnitude 6.3.That nighttime tremor was of a sequence that exceeded a hundred quakes during the day, several of them above six on the Richter scale.The emergency committees and teams of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) is carrying out continuous monitoring due to the ongoing seismic activity.Dino Mon, director general of the CSS, explained that psychological consultations for episodes of anxiety and injuries are being provided to elderly people who slipped while leaving the buildings during the earthquake.Given the possibility of new quakes, CSS has set up tents outside the healthcare centers to temporarily accommodate patients.The preliminary damage assessment includes 136 homes with structural damage and 188 educational institutions with damage to their facilities. The number of damaged infrastructure includes 14 hospitals and health centers, 30 government buildings, 20 churches, and 11 hotels.Among the affected healthcare facilities are the Tonosí Hospital and the Los Pozos Hospital. The country’s airports have activated their preventive security protocols to inspect runways and control towers.The lack of drinking water and the pending review of backup equipment led the CSS to temporarily halt hemodialysis and renal replacement treatments throughout the country. The institution plans to resume them on Sunday, October 11, so long as conditions are fully safe.Powerful Earthquake Hits Panama, Triggers Tsunami AlertPolyclinics are keeping the emergency rooms and laboratories open 24 hours a day during the emergency. The figures of injuries and structural damages are preliminary and could increase as technical inspections progress.The earthquake occurred two days before the Third National Evacuation Drill, scheduled for Monday, October 12, under the slogan “Resilience Starts at Home.” Specialists from the Institute of Geosciences at the University of Panama predict that the tremors will continue over the next few days.Technical evaluations will continue on Sunday to assess the full extent of the damage, verify the safety of the buildings, and finalize the repair schedule. The sequence of aftershocks is keeping the local relief committees on high alert. (Telesur)Translation: Orinoco TribuneOT/SC/SH